The present invention relates to a seat for an automobile. More particularly, the present invention relates to an anti-submarine seat for an automobile capable of preventing the pelvis of a user from sliding forward during a collision.
There are many safety devices for the occupants of a vehicle, such as, seat belts, air bags, and the like. Typically the seat belt and the air bag are disposed between a passenger seat and a dashboard of the vehicle. The seat belt and the air bag function to restrain the upper body of the passenger during a collision such that injury to the passenger is potentially reduced.
However, a drawback associated with these devices is that the safety of the occupants is not entirely considered. For example, the so-called xe2x80x98submarine phenomenonxe2x80x99 occurs during many impacts, such as in vehicle collisions. This phenomenon is typified by the pelvis of an automobile occupant sliding forward, under a seat belt. This leads to injury in the leg region from collision with a lower end of a crash pad and to injury in the abdomen region from tension of the seat belt.
A submarine phenomenon preventing mechanism that raises the front end of the seat cushion is known in the art. However, the conventional submarine phenomenon preventing mechanism adversely effects the ergonomics of the automobile seat. Therefore, the occupant may be guarded from the submarine phenomenon injury, however they suffer from poor ergonomics, reduced comfort, and potential injury to the knees during long distance travel.
Embodiments of the present invention provide an anti-submarine seat for an automobile that reduces the chance of the pelvis of an automobile occupant from slipping forward during a collision. By installing a spring-type actuator means at a lower portion of a seat cushion, so as to raise a front end of the seat cushion and to descend a rear end of the seat cushion, the submarine phenomenon is potentially reduced.
An anti-submarine seat for an automobile according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises a spring-type actuators for elastically supporting a front end and a rear end of the seat cushion of the automobile. The actuators being installed at a lower portion of the seat cushion. The actuators urge the front end of the seat cushion upwards and simultaneously descend the rear end of the seat cushion in case of an impact situation such as a vehicle crash.
The actuators include a cylindrical upper housing installed at an upper seat frame and a cylindrical lower housing installed at a lower seat frame. A spring and a spring seat are installed in the lower housing or in the upper housing. The spring and the spring seat are fixed in the lower housing or in the upper housing by means of a wedge-shaped spring fixing pin so that operation of the spring is selectively controlled.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuator is installed at the front end of the seat cushion and the spring is installed in the lower housing. In an alternative embodiment, when the actuator is installed at the rear end of the seat cushion the spring is installed in the upper housing. When the seat belt is stretched tight, such as in the event of a collision, the actuator is activated to maneuver the springs of the anti-submarine seat.